Web splicing device



Dec. 8, 1936. H. A, w. wooD WEB SPLICING .DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 1l, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. A. W. WOOD WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. ll, 1933 7627/' Wie m Dec. 8, 1936.

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Dec. 8, 1936. H. A. w. wooD WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 1ll 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 8, 1936.

H. A. W. WOOD WEB SPLICING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 1l, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 *han NSN

Patented Dec. 8, 1936 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE WEB SPLICING DEVICE Application October 11, 1933, Serial No. 693,105 Renewed May 5, 1936 17 Claims. :(Cl. 242-58) This invention relates to a device for splicing a new web roll to the web running to a printing machine without stopping the press.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide improved means whereby a variable speed ratio device for driving the fresh web roll through its axis is automatically controlled by the position of the fresh web roll at the time of splicing or in other words, the position of the reel on which the fresh web roll is mounted, which in turn` is controlled by the diameter of the fresh web roll; to provide a novel means for regulating the speed of the fresh web roll by bringing the web pressing member to the same position for all of the web rolls so that the reel, on which the fresh web roll is carried, will be brought to different positions in accordance with the diameter of the fresh web roll to regulate the speed of rotation of the fresh web roll before splicing by the difference in position of the reel; to provide for driving the fresh web roll through a drum or pulley mounted on the end of its spindie; to provide a driving device, such as a belt, for this drum or pulley for bringing the fresh web roll up to speed; to provide a double throw clutch used on one side for this purpose and on the other side to connect the belt with a braking cr stationary member to apply a hold-back to the pulley and create a tension in the web directly after splicing to last until the roll is brought into the control of the tension straps; to provide a pus-h button timing for the dropping of the web pressing member into operative position controlled by the operator and a switch contact on the incoming roll spindle; to provide a novel method of making the splice in which the operator controls a button to make the splice and the release of the same button is used to control the severing of the expiring web, and to provide a simple means for continuously rotating a fresh roll prior to splicing whose speed ratio is determined by the position of the reel, means for tensioning the web after splicing, simple and efficient means for timing the oper- 'ation of the Web-pressing member, and means for using the release of the splicing push button to operate the Web-severing means.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end view of a rotatable magazine reel with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding end view showing the connection of the tension straps;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the web pressing device;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the variable speed ratio device, shown partly in section, and the doublethrow clutch;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the clutch in other position;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the variable speed ratio driving device as indicated by the arrow 6 in Fig. 4, and

Fig. '7 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing the operation of the device with a smaller sized fresh web roll than that shown in Fig. 1.

There are now in operation a large number of printing presses equipped with a rotatable magazine reel for supporting a plurality of web rolls. Ordinarily these reels are used to make slow speed pasters. That is, the web is run during the pasting but not at full speed.

This invention is designed to provide simple attachments for these existing reels so that without much complication they can be used to make splices at the full speed of the press. In this invention the fresh web roll is driven through its spindle or axis which has proved to be the most successful method of driving it. In this case a drum or pulley is mounted on the end of each spindle and a driving device, such as a belt, bears against it for driving the fresh web roll. This belt is driven from the press through a variable speed ratio device and the setting of the latter is controlled automatically bythe position of the reel when the splice is about to be made. This position is in turn controlled by the diameter of the fresh web roll because the web pressing member is always brought, prior to the splicing, to a definite fixed position. The reel has to rotate until the surface of the fresh web roll adjacent to the web is always at the same distance from the web just before the splicing operation is commenced. This space may be from a quarter to three-quarters of an inch. In this way if a web roll is of large diameter the center of it has to be further from the running web than if the web roll were of smaller diameter. This difference in position is taken advantage of to regulate the speed of the belt which drives the pulley or drum attached to the spindle of the incoming roll. In the drive to this belt is a. double-throw clutch which, when thrown to one side, connects the belt from the press for driving the fresh roll forward and when thrown to the other side applies a brake to a member driv- 2 I inggthe belt so a's to hold back/'the pulley 'and the fres'h web roll.` In the latter case a tension is created in the web directly after splicing until such time as the new web roll bears against the ,tension straps sufficiently to control it.

The arm carrying the web pressing member is manually operated from its operative forward position to its inoperative retracted position and vice versa. Iheweb pressing means is shown in the form of a brush or series of brushes and a spring-pressed solenoid trip.

The dropping of the brush, which backs up the web against the motion of the fresh roll to effect a splice, is timed through a push button controlled by the operator and a switch-contact on the incoming roll spindle. In making the splice the operator presses a push button to start it and the release of the same push button is utilized to initiate the severing of the web.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the invention is shown as used in connection with an ordinary reel for supporting the web rolls comprising a main shaft I rotatably mounted in pedestals 2. The shaft provides a support for spiders 3 which may be moved longitudinally on the shaft to provide for side register, etc. as is well understood in this art but not shown in detail herein. The spiders are fixed circumferentially on the shaft so that they rotate with it.

The rotation of the shaft is accomplished, as is usual, through a motor in an electric circuit 4, said motor having a shaft 5 on which is a worm 6 driving a worm wheel 1 fixed to the shaft I.

The spiders are provided with arms, three being shown, carrying spindles 6 for supporting the web rolls. The fresh web roll R in Fig. 1 or R in Fig. 7 are shown, the nearly exhausted running roll R also being shown in Fig. 1. One of the spindles of each roll is capable of being retracted so that the web roll may be mounted in or discharged from the reel. The other spindle is `provided with a pulley or drum I3 on which is an integral projection I4, the function of lwhich will be described later.

The frame I0 of the printing press is used to support the other features of thisvinvention and is provided with a shaft not shown but driven directly by the printing mechanism so as to rotate in proportion to the speed of the press. This shaft, through a chain II, drives a sprocket I2 loose on a shaft I5. .The sprocket I2 carries a cone-shaped end I6 which cooperates with a clutch member I1 splined to the shaft I5 and adapted to be brought into contact with the cone I6 to drive the shaft. This is done by means of a yoke I6 which constitutes one arm of a bell crank I9 and is held in position by a spring 20 which, when the yoke is in neutral position, intersects the pivot point of the bell crank. 'I'he clutch therefore is thrown toward the gear I2, when the bell crank is tilted in one direction, and when thrown over in the other direction to pass over its center, the spring presses the opposite face of the clutch I1 against a face 2| of a bracket 22, which is stationary. In this manner a braking action is placed on the clutch, the object of which will appear later.

On the shaft I5 is a sprocket or other wheel 23 which, through a chain or the like 24 and a sprocket 25, drives a shaft 26. 'Ihe shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in a U-shaped frame 21, the points of th U of which serve as pivots on the shaft I5 which in turn is rotatably supported by brackets 22 and 28 secured to the press frame.

The frame 21 carries a roller 23 rotatably mounted on a stud on said frame. `Baid roller cooperates with a cam 36 having a cam path for controlling the operation of the, roller. This cam 36 is mounted on a shaft 3| which is driven by a belt or chain 32 operating on the sprocket on the shaft 3| and a'larger sprocket 34 fixed to the shaft I.r Therefore it rotates when the reel rotates.

Any motion of the frame 21 on its pivot will change the center distance between two shafts 26 and 35 because the shaft 35 is in stationary position. On the shaft 26 are located two oppo- 'site springs 36 bearing on the collars 31 pinned to the shaft. These springs constantly bear on two conical discs 36 which cones can be separated or brought together by the pressure of the springs or of the V-shaped belt 39 between these discs. This belt passes over a V-pulley 4II on the shaft 35 and power is transmitted from one to the other therethrough. Any motion of the frame 21 will change the distance between the two shafts 26 and 35 because this motion will cause the discs 33 to spread apart or be permitted to move together under the influence of the springs 36. This changes the effective relative driving diameter of these discs 33. In this manner it is possible to obtain an adjustable ratio in the speed of the shaft 35. 'I'his is a well known speed device and the form shown herein is to illustrate one means of accomplishing an adjustable ratio between the driving shaft 26 and the driven shaft 35 which ratio is to be transmitted to the new web roll itself to compensate for the differences in diameter of the web rolls.

The cam 30 is arranged so that when the reel is rotated the frame 21 will be moved to regulate the speed ratio between these shafts 26 and 35. When a large web roll is in the reel and it is brought to a position where its surface is close to the running web w, as shown in Fig. 1, the reel does not have to be rotated as far forward to get the roll into this position as it does if the roll R is small, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shaft 35 has pivoted upon it an arm 4I which is pivotally connected with a link 42 pivotally mounted on a tie rod 43 carried by the frame I0. This pivotal connection is through a slot so that a limited amount of vertical oscillationis permitted to the arm 4I. This tie rod 43 extends across the press so that this structure can be moved to accommodate rolls of diiferent widths.

On the shaft 35 is a sprocket 44 over which runs a belt or chain 45 for operating a second sprocket 46. 'I'he sprocket 46 is on a shaft 41 carried by the end of the arm 4I and carrying a pulley 50. Pivoted to the shaft 41 is a depending frame 48 having' two pulleys 49 at its lower ends. These pulleys are mounted on studs on this frame and with the pulleys 50 carry a belt 5I. This belt, of course, is driven through the train of gearing and chains mentioned and its speed is controlled by the position of the pivoted frame 21. 'Ihe belt 5I bears on the pulley or drum I3 and rotates the fresh web roll through its center. A bracket 52 constitutes an out-board bearing for the shaft 35. 'I'he sprocket 44 besides being splined to the shaft is detachably attached thereto by a set screw 53. Once the arm 4I is placed in a particular location along the shaft 35 the set screw`53 secures the sprocket 44 thereto so that this whole mechanism is held in proper longitudinal position with respect to the shaft.

In this way the fresh web roll is rotated and it will be obvious that the speedy of rotation will depend upon the position of the axis of this roll when it comes up to pasting position. 'I'he difference is indicated by the rolls R and R shown in Figs. l and 7 respectively, one of them being smaller than the other and therefore requiring a. different circumferential speed. From this it results that the speeding up of the roll is dependent upon its diameter and secondarily upon the position of the reel when the splice is about to be made. This change in surface velocity does not have to be controlled in any way manually by the operator. The brush arm 10, described below, is always brought to the same position for splicing.

As stated, a braking action is placed on the clutch I1 which, through the shaft I5, chain 24, shaft 26 and through the chain of driving connections described above, retards the belt bearing against pulley |3 and thereby produces a braking action on fresh roll R. This is provided so that after the splice is made clutch I1 may be thrown from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5 by bell crank I9 being operated from some convenient member such as a link 6|. The link 6I is shown as broken off in the drawings but may be extended to any convenient place so that the operator may thereby operate the clutch I1 at the proper time and to the best advantage. This engagement of the clutch I9 with the face 2| of the bracket 22 permits tension to be held on the fresh roll R, which has now become the running roll, until such time as the reel may be rotated and the new roll be brought into contact with tension straps 62. One end of each of the straps 62 is secured to a hook 63 encircling a shaft 64 secured to the foundation by brackets 65. The other end of each strap is attached to a weight lever 66, pivotally mounted by a bracket 61 on the frame of the machine. The weight lever carries weights 68 removably mounted on a rod 69 which is pivotally attached to the other end of the weight lever 66.

A brush arm 10 or web pressing arm is secured to a shaft 1| which is pivotally mounted in suitable brackets 12 secured to the frame of the press. This provides support for brush brackets 13 by a shaft 14 mounted thereon. Arms 15 are secured to the shaft 14 and on their swinging ends are pivotally secured to spring rods 16. These rods penetrate poppets 11 secured to the brush arm 10 and mount springs 18 by lock nuts 19, the upper ends of the spring rods 16 being guided by poppets secured to the brush arm 10. Thus it is evident that the expansible springs 18 bearing against the poppets 11 and lock nuts 19 will tend to rotate the brush brackets 13 and brushes 8| carried thereon in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in Figs. 1 and '7, to move the web W against the brush roll R. This rotation is controlled, however, by a latch 82 pivotally mounted on the brush arm 10 and engaging with a notched toe 83 secured to the brush shaft 14. A solenoid 84 is mounted on the brush arm 10 and linked to the latch 82 by a connection 85. Thus when the solenoid 84 is energized it will rotate the latch B2 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby releasing the toe 83 and permitting the web to be forced against the fresh roll by the brushes 8|, or move properly to back up the web by pressure against the moving roll R.

Means are provided for severing the web after the splice has been made by knives 86 mounted by brackets 81 on a shaft 88. The latter tends to rotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and '1, through the torsion of springs 88, one end of each of which is carried in a stationary bracket 90, which serves to mount knife shaft 88, the other end being attached to collars-9| secured to the shaft 88. A toe 92 secured thereto, however, prevents the knife shaft 88 from rotating until such time as a solenoid 93 is energized and, through a link 94, rotates a latch lever over- ;:omrzig the tension of a spring 95 to release the The full line position in Figs. l and 7 shows the brush arm in its operative position while the dotted line in Fig. 1 shows it in the raised or inoperative position. Operating handle 96 is secured to shaft 1| and provided with a retractable dowel 91 for holding brush arm 10 either in its raised or lowered position through notches provided in bracket 12. When brush arm 10 is moved to its raised position it is apparent that an abutment 98 on bracket 12 serves to reset spring rod 16 and permit the reengagement of latch 82 with toe 83. This also serves to reset knives 86 since an arm 99 secured to shaft 14 cooperates with cam |00 carried on knife shaft 88 to reset knives 86 at the same time that the brush mechanism is reset.

The method of operation is quite simple: When running roll R has decreased to the point where it is obvious that a splice must soon be made brush arm 10, through operating handle 96, is lowered from the dotted line position to the full line position shown in Figs. l and 7. By pressing forward button |0I shown in button sta.- tion |02 proper connections (not shown) are made with motor to rotate the reel such that fresh roll R is brought close to web w, say within 1A" to 3A or at least in the range of operation of brushes 8|. Connections for operating motor are not shown since anyone even slightly skilled in the art can provide electrical connections for this device. The spare roll R having been formerly prepared with its leading end carrying preferably a non-drying adhesive and this leading end being held lightly `against the spare roll as is now common practice, clutch I1, through the means described above, is thrown from engagement with face 2| of bracket 22 to its other position where it engages with cone I6 thereby establishing connection between the press and belt 5I which now bears against pulley I3 of roll R. The motion of belt 5| speeds up snare roll R to the proper peripheral speed since the position of the reel has automatically set the speed ratio device which is shown as adjustable cone pulleys 38 and associated parts. The press continues to run with the periphery of roll R running at web speed until such time as the operator judges /running roll R2 to be sufliciently exhausted to make a splice at which time button |03 is pressed making contacts |04 and |05, the former of which runs to one side of a source of power and the latter to a similarly numbered contact in switch |06 which is mounted on framework 48 and has its roller cooperating with projection I4 of pulley I3. In this manner the contacts in switch |06 are properly timed with respect to the prepasted leading end of roll R. With contacts I 04 and |05 made by push button |03 the very next time that projection |4 operates the roller of |06 contacts |05 and |01 are thereby made and thus connect one side of the power to solenoid 84 the other side of which is connected by line |08 to the other side of the vmechanism in the following manner.

power. This energizes solenoid 8l permitting brushes 8| to press, web w against the spare roll and thereby make the splice. When the operator sees the splice made he then releases push button |03 which serves to operate the severing Contact |04 on the upper side of push button |03 is closed with contact |08 which is connected to one terminal of knife solenoid 93, the other terminal. contact ||0, runs to switch which, when brushes 8| rotate to press the web against the roll R, has its contacts and |08 closed by that action. This therefore completes the circuit from two sides of the power to knife solenoid 83 energizing it to release the toe 82 and permit knives 80 to sever web w. Immediately thereafter clutch l1 is thrown from its contact with cone I6 so thatit contacts face 2| of bracket 22 thereby producing a drag on belt 5| as described above and therefore on the new roll which is now feeding the press. As the reel is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 by pressing the forward button |0|, belt continues in contact with pulley I3 controlling the new roll until such time as the slot in link I2 is exhausted when pulley |3 moves away from belt 5| and is no longer controlled thereby but the roll R is controlled by straps 62 as described above. 'Ihis finishes the cycle of pasting and the apparatus is ready for repetition of the cycle.

A simple means has been shown for continuously rotating a fresh roll prior to splicing and determining the speed ratio of the roll by the position of the roll at the time of splicing and therefore the position of thereel or other supporting means which carries it.

By having the web pressing means located in a constant predetermined position the surface speed of the roll is determined by the size of the roll itself so that, whatever the size of the roll, its surface speed will be equal to the speed of the web. Means is also provided for primarily tensioning the web at the time of splicing by retarding the rotation of the new web roll until such time as that roll comes under the influence of the ordinary web tensioning mechanism. Simple and effective means are illustrated for timing the operation of the web pressing member and means for using the release of the splicing push button to operate the web severing means.

Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited in this respect otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I do claim ist- 1. In a web splicing device, the combination of a web pressing arm, means on the arm for backing up a running web, means for holding said arm in a predetermined position to splice the web, a movable support for a fresh web roll, means on the support for rotatably supporting the fresh web roll thereon, means for rotating the fresh roll on its axis, and means whereby the rate of rotation will be dependent upon the position of the support when the fresh web roll is moved thereby into a position adjacent the running web, ready for splicing.

2. In a web splicing device, the combination with a movable web roll support and a web backing up device adapted to be located in predeterminedxed position, so that before splicing the support has to move the fresh roll up substantially into a position to contact with the running web as backed up by said device, of means for rotating the fresh web roll on its own axis at a speed proportional to the distance of the center or the roll from the backing up device at the time of splicing.

3. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable reel having means for supporting a fresh web roll, of variable means for continually rotating said fresh roll on its axis prior to splicing, and means whereby the rate of rotation of the fresh roll on its axis is determined by the position of the reel on its axis at the time of splicing.

4. In a web splicing device, the. combination with a web pressing arm, means on the arm for backing up a running web, means for holding said arm in a predetermined position to splice the web, oi' a movable support for a fresh yweb roll, means on the support for rotatably supporting the fresh web roll thereon, a wheel fixed with respect to the fresh web roll, a belt running on the surface of said wheel, a variable speed device for operating said belt, and means whereby the variable speed device will operate said belt at a speed dependent upon the position of the support when the fresh web roll is in a position for splicing.

5. In a web splicing device, the combination with a movable web roll support and a web backing up device adapted to be located in predetermined flxed position, so that before splicing the support has to move the fresh roll up substantially into a position to contact with the running web as backed up by said device, of a wheel fixed to rotate with the fresh web roll, a belt in contact with said wheel, a variable speed transmitting device for operating said belt, and means for varying the transmission of power through said variable speed device in accordance with the diameter of the fresh web roll to be spliced.

6. In a web splicing device, the combination with a web pressing arm, means on the arm for backing up a running web, means for holding said arm in a predetermined position to splice the web, of a movable support for a fresh web roll. means on the support for rotatably supporting the fresh web roll thereon, a wheel fixed with respect to the fresh web roll, a belt running on the surface of said wheel, and a device for operating said belt.

'1. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable reel having means for supporting a fresh web roll, of variable means for continually rotating said fresh roll on its axis prior to splicing, means whereby the rate of rotation of the fresh roll on its axis is determined by the position of the reel on its axis at the time of splicing, means for tensioning the web after splicing, and means for retarding the rotation of the fresh web roll at the time of splicing and maintaining the retarding action substantially until the fresh roll comes into engagement with said tensioning device.

8. In a web splicing device the combination with a rotatable reel having means for supporting a fresh web roll, of variable means for continually rotating said fresh roll on its axis prior to splicing, means whereby the rate of rotation of the fresh roll on its axis is determined by the position-of the reel on its axis at the time of splicing, means for tensioning the web after splicing, a movable web pressing member, and

means for timing the motion of the web pressing member into operative position.

9. In a web splicing device, the combination with a web pressing arm, means on the arm for backing up a running web, means for holding said arm in a predetermined position to splice the web, of a movable support for a fresh web roll, means on the support for rotatably supporting the fresh web roll thereon, means for rotating the fresh roll on its axis, means whereby the rate of rotation will be dependent upon the diameter of the fresh web roll, means for tensioning the web after splicing, and means for timing the motion of the web backing means into operative position.

10. The combination of a movable web roll support, means on said support for rotatably mounting a fresh web roll, means for rotating said roll through its axis up to web speed before splicing, and automatic means dependent upon the position of the web roll support for securing the same surface speed independent of the size of the roll.

11. In a web splicing device, the combination with a movable web roll support and a web backing up device adapted to be located in predetermined xed position, so that before splicing the support has to move the fresh roll up substantially into a position to contact with the running web as backed up by said device, of a pulley rotatable with the fresh web roll, an arm, a frame work pivoted to and depending from said arm, a belt carried by said frame work and adapted to rotate the fresh web roll through said pulley, a pivotally depending frame, a variable speed transmission, depending on the position of vsaid frame for its speed transmission rate, for operating said belt, and means for moving said framework.

12. In a web splicing device, the combination with a movable web roll support and a web backing up device adapted to be located in predetermined xed posit-ion so that before splicing the support has to move the fresh roll up substantially into a position to contact with the running web as backed up by said device, of means for so moving the support, electrical means comprising a circuit having a push button for controlling said moving means, a variable speed transmission comprising a swinging frame for rotating a fresh roll on said support, a cam connected t'o be rotated by the movement of said support, and means whereby the cam swings said frame to control the speed of rotation of the fresh web roll.

13. In a web splicing device the combination with a rotatable reel having means for supporting a fresh web roll, of variable means for continually rotating said fresh roll on its axis prior to splicing, means whereby the rate of rotation of the fresh roll on its axis is determined by the position of the reel on its axis at the time of splicing, a push button and connections controlled thereby for starting the splicing, web severing means, and means controlled by the release of theA push button for operating the web severing means.

14. In a web splicing device, the combination with a rotatable web roll support and a web backing up device adapted to be located in predetermined'xed position so that before splicing the support has to move the fresh roll up substantially into a position to contact with the running web as backed up by said device, of an electric circuit for controlling the motion of the backing up device to operative position, a push button for closing said circuit, a web severing knife, and means whereby the release of said push button will initiate the motion of the web severing device to operative position.

l5. In a web splicing device, the combination of a web pressing arm, means for holding said arm in a predetermined position to splice the web, of a movable support for a fresh web roll, means on the support for rotatably supporting the fresh web roll thereon, means for rotating the fresh roll on its axis, means whereby the rate of rota.- tion will be dependent upon the diameter of the fresh web roll, means for tensioning the web after splicing, a web pressing member on said arm for backing up the running web located in the same position for all web rolls, and means rotatable with the fresh web roll, cooperating to move the web pressing means to its fixed operative position.

16. In a web-splicing device, a running web, a fresh roll, web-splicing means, Web-severing means, electric means for controlling the operation of the web-splicing means and the web-severing means, and a push button so connected with the electric means that its depression controls the splicing means and its release controls the severing means.

17. In a web-splicing device, a running web, a rotating fresh roll, web-splicing means, web-severing means, a push button to be pressed by the operator, an intermittent contact operated by the fresh roll for controlling the web-splicing means, and means provided by the release of the push button to operate the web-severing means.

HENRY A. WISE WOOD. 

